What is Workplace Flexibility?

Learn more about Flexible Work Options & Reduced Seasonal Hours

Join us for one or both of the Lunch & Learn events listed below. Representatives from UK Human Resources will be on hand to answer your questions and explain how to request these options. You can attend in person or online via Zoom. Feel free to bring a lunch!

Flexible Work Options 101
April 10, 2018
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
W.T. Young Library, Gallery Room
Click here to register.
Learn more about flextime, telework, and compressed workweek and find out if a flexible work schedule might be for you.

Understanding Reduced Seasonal Work Hours
May 10, 2018
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
W.T. Young Library, Gallery Room
Click here to register.
UK offers the voluntary Reduced Seasonal Work Hours Program each summer and winter. This program allows eligible employees to work a reduced schedule or take unpaid leave with department approval.

Flexible Work Options:

There may be additional options or a combination of the below options available within your department and depending on your work responsibilities.

Flextime: Adjusting start and end times to meet department and/or employee needs without reducing the number of hours worked each day or week. This can range from individual employee start and end times to department “core hours” when all employees must be present (e.g. between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.).

Telework: Adjusting the primary workplace location to meet department and/or employee needs. A common arrangement is for an employee to work from their home office one or two days per week

Compressed workweek: A standard workweek compressed into fewer than five days (e.g. 4-10’s, 3-13’s)

Reduced-Hours Options: Please note that reduction in or loss of benefits may occur during reduced hours. Please see FAQs for more info.

Part-time: Adjusting total number of regular hours worked to less than full-time. Please note that this option involves a pro-rated salary and benefits.

Phased return from leave: Temporarily adjusting the number of hours worked each week to less than full time after returning from an extended leave (e.g. Family Medical Leave for the birth or adoption of a child). Please note that this option involves a pro-rated salary and benefits.

Phased retirement: Employees with 15 years or more of eligible service and who are aged 60 are older may be able to reduce their hours as a way of “phasing” into their retirement. Additional details are available here.

Reduced Seasonal Hours: Regular, clinically non-essential, full-time staff employees are eligible to temporarily reduce their work schedule to no less than 0.75 during the summer and/or winter months.

Requesting a Flexible Work Arrangement

Fill out THIS form if you're requesting telework. Fill out THIS form if you're requesting any other type of flexible work, including reduced seasonal hours.

A copy of the submitted form is sent via e-mail to the employee, the supervisor, and the Office of Work-Life.

The supervisor reviews the request e-mail, has a conversation with the employee (if they didn't discuss prior to the request) and then makes a decision to approve, request modifications, or deny the request.

The supervisor will reply to the employee's request and cc the Office of Work-Life with their decision. If the request was for Reduced Seasonal Hours, the supervisor should also cc their budget officer. Information for budget officers isHERE.

If approved, employee can start the flexwork request at the agreed upon start date. We strongly encourage the manager and employee to have a check-in conversation after 90 days and then at least one per year to discuss what is working well and what may need to change.

Who can request a flexwork arrangement?
All employees can request a flexwork arrangement, and all supervisors are encouraged to think creatively about how flexwork could work within their team. However, flexwork arrangements may not be appropriate for all employees or all positions. For additional information, please see our Guide to Flexible Work at UK.